The blogger take on the issues – A good look by Bruce Bartlett at the growth of specialized blogs, including a few of the tax related ones.  He has completely grasped the fact that, while many of the other tax blogs cover taxation issues from an academic and theoretical perspective, mine strives to cover the more practical real world applications.  I appreciate the recognition and am glad so many people are able to share so many viewpoints via blogs and the web in general.

Social Security reform ambush by AARP

The Economics of Gift Giving

As California Deficit Grows, Finance Director Vows ‘Honest’ Budget, No New Taxes – That will be the day.  The rulers in Sacto are no more able to produce anything close to an honest budget than are their counterparts in DC.  Smoke and mirrors are standard stock in trade for governmental budgets.

Beware of Altered IRS Forms Used for Identity Theft

  Distorting Social Security reform

Two-faced advice on Social Security

A stealth tax

I really do appreciate the assistance of the other tax pros around the country who have been helping me keep up on the various topics we have been discussing here.

Ohio CPA Dana Stahl has been a big help and has provided this update based on a recent conversation he had with Dan Pilla after attending one of Dan’s seminars.

Mr Guru – just got off the phone w/Dan Pilla.  Some items you may find interesting:

 

1.    Regarding the IRS/1040x matter, Dan said he is unaware of any national policy along those lines as we’ve previously discussed.  He did say there is a “Revenue Protection Policy” in effect, which is an apparent threshold of a refund claim that would trigger an audit.  Dan said he didn’t know the threshold amount, but other than that policy, there is no movement within IRS he can identify.  Dan commented that, if such a policy were in effect, it still shouldn’t effect someone with a $10,000 or more refund, since one would not want to leave that kind of money on the table.  Anyway, I let him know what you & I have discussed, and I said I’d let him know if any other information becomes available.

 

2.    I also asked him about those IRS abuse hearings, as you & I discussed a couple of weeks ago.  I told him about the Edward Jones teleconference with the former IRS Commissioner denying that the abuses were true.  Dan said that the abuses WERE true, and apparently Dan helped put together much of the research (including testifying before the Committee himself!) used during the hearings.  He said there has been an effort to discredit the testimony given during the abuse hearings in order to undue the protections put into place as a result of the hearings (since the government now needs more money).  I told him I’d let him know what kind of response I get from the Edward Jones people to my inquiry on the Ex-Commish’s remarks (as I will you, also).

True, except in places such as the PRC, which charges corporations an annual minimum tax of $800 even if they had no activity at all.